Many offices are equipped with cabinets having electrical circuits or circuit boards for computerized systems, computer networks, telephone equipment, etc. However, on occasion these electrical circuits and circuit boards experience short circuiting in the electrical components which can cause an electrical fire. When a fire is experienced, the fire must be extinguished and the system or systems connected to the electrical circuits or circuit boards in the cabinet must be shut down for repairs. Therefore, operations are shut down and the fire damaged equipment must be replaced which is costly. Henceforth, it is desirable to provide these cabinets with short circuit detection to turn off the power to the electrical circuits or circuit boards to prevent the start of an electrical fire. Therefore, the down time for operations and the replacement cost of malfunctioning components can be significantly minimized since the electrical fire was prevented.
Furthermore, it is desirable to provide such cabinets with a heat sensor to sense increases in the temperature within the cabinets and a smoke detector to detect the presence of smoke to activate the fire extinguishing device.
Several devices have been patented which are aimed at fire extinguishing systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,562, to Galbraith et al., entitled "APPARATUS FOR SUPPRESSING A FIRE" disclose a fire suppression apparatus which is activated when a sensor detects the presence of a fire. The sensor detects the rise in temperature or change in the ionization potential of air due to the presence of smoke.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,847, to Phelps, entitled "FAILSAFE PHIAL-TYPE FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM" discloses a fail-safe phial-type fire extinguishing system which is intended to be activated when the environment in which a sensor is situated reaches a first predetermined condition and is activated as a fail-safe measure when the environment in which the phial is situated reaches a second predetermined condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,490, to Jenne, entitled "SELF-CONTAINED SMOKE ACTIVATED FIRE EXTINGUISHING FLOODING SYSTEM" discloses a self contained smoke actuated fire extinguishing flooding system having a smoke detector, a spring load plunger actuated valve, audio alarm and built-in test system which unitizes a blended halogenated fire extinguishing agent for use in enclosures for electronic, electrical and other equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,680, to Wottbrodt et al., entitled "FIRE SUPPRESSION ACTIVATOR" disclose a fire extinguishing system which has a source of pressurized fluorocarbon suitable for extinguishing a fire in the interior of an armored vehicle. The fire extinguishing system is provided with a plurality of sensors for sensing a high temperature fire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,637, to Finnigan, entitled "ELECTRONIC FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM" discloses an electronic fire protection system which includes a central control circuit that operates a sprinkler or other extinguishing system in response to a sensed over temperature condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,674, to Galosky et al., entitled "CARTRIDGE OPERATED FIRE EXTINGUISHER" discloses a fire extinguisher apparatus that is operated by the force of a cartridge such as that used in a nail gun. The cartridge operated fire extinguisher has two detectors that are activated by two separate types of emissions that are characteristic of a fire. Both of these detectors must be simultaneously activated in order for the fire extinguisher apparatus to be operated by the cartridge. The fire extinguisher apparatus also is capable of shutting off electrical equipment such as stoves. The invention detects the level of ambient temperature and light or infrared radiation.
It can be readily seen that there exists the continuing need for an electrical fire sensing and fire prevention/extinguishing system which senses properties of electrical fires in cabinets having electrical circuits or circuit boards and detects sparks for detecting an electrical short in such electrical circuits or circuit boards wherein upon detecting a spark, power to such electrical circuits or circuit boards is turned off to prevent a fire from developing within the cabinet; and, wherein the electrical fire sensing and fire prevention/extinguishing system senses heat increases and smoke for activating a fire extinguishing device to extinguish a fire and turning off power to such electrical circuits or circuit boards.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior fire extinguishing systems.